


From A-Z

by KittyHowell



Category: Hot Fuzz (2007)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 17:31:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14477697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyHowell/pseuds/KittyHowell
Summary: 26 dabbles of Nick and Danny.





	From A-Z

**Author's Note:**

> These aren’t in any particular order of time. They vary in rating. All errors belong to me. I know the Hot Fuzz fandom here might not be too active but I couldn’t help writing this!

\- Andes

It’s actually the Andes who realize that Danny and Nicholas are more than just partners and friends, maybe even before Danny and Nicholas themselves. 

Wainwright has a broken arm, while Cartwright somehow manages to escape the explosion with a mild concussion and a small cut on his thigh. The first night in the hospital is a bit of a blur for all of them. They only know how the others are doing from what the nurses tell them, and no one is talking all that much. 

The Andes manage to sneak out of their beds for a smoke. After, they decid since they’re already being naughty, they’ll go and check on Danny. 

When they finally manage to find his room, which isn’t easy since they can’t ask anyone, they’re both surprised and also not surprised to find Angel already sitting at his side, holding his hand. 

There’s also a nurse in the room and she looks pissed. She seems to be lecturing Angel, who only displays his arm out to her without so much of a look. She checks his vitals and then the machine attached to the IV in his arm before stalking out. 

When she opens the door, she turns back and says, “You really should be in your own bed, Sergeant Angel. You were injured, too,” before closing the door and mumbling “bloody bastard.” 

They watch for just a moment while Angel threads his fingers through Danny’s hair. He’s talking to Danny’s sleeping form but they can’t hear a word of it. 

Deciding they have as much business being there as a pigeon, they turn around and head back to their rooms. 

\- Benders 

“It ain’t right,” Wainwright speaks, more to himself and the beer he’s nursing than anyone else. Cartwright is sitting right next to him so he hears the low mumble anyway. 

“What ain’t?” 

Instead of speaking, Wainwright motions with his free hand to Nicholas and Danny on the other side of the pub. They’re sitting close together, too close for friends to sit. Both have beers and they’re laughing. Danny has Nicholas laughing so hard that they can hear Angel, though just barely, over the normal noise of the pub on the busy Saturday night. 

Cartwright’s mouth twists into something ugly. He takes a long sip of his beer in order to find his words. With a shrug he says, “Didn’t think you the type, Andy.” 

“What type?” 

“The prat kind.” Except Andy is a prat. They’re both prats, really. But Cartwright has no problem with two men being in love and he never thought his best friend had either. Though, come to think of it, the only open homosexual they’d ever met had been killed by the NWA. They found his body amongst the others. 

Wainwright frowns right back at him, then rolls his eyes dramatically. “I ain’t gotta problem with them being gay, ya twat.” He shakes his head in disbelief. “I just can’t believe it’s taking them so long to bum!”

\- Cat 

Danny decides he wants a pet. 

Nicholas wants a medium sized dog, nothing too big but not anything small. Maybe a Border Collie or a Beagle. 

Danny wants a cat, so they compromise and get a cat. 

It’s not like Nicholas could say no to him, anyway, and he really doesn’t mind. 

So they take a day trip to London and visit one of the animal shelters Nicholas is familiar with. Danny is more excited than a kid on Christmas and Nicholas knows he’s in love by how much he finds that endearing. 

“What cat has been here the longest,” Danny ask the woman at the front desk. He’d been talking non stop about how he wanted to get a cat that was either so old few people would want them or one that had been there longer than the rest. 

“That would be Elsa. She’s a bit older than normal adoption age but she’s a good cat. Been here for over a year. No problems with her and she’s friendly and loves a good scratch behind the ears.” 

“Who don’t,” Danny replies with a shrug. 

“Why has she been here so long,” Nicholas has to ask. It really can’t be helped. 

“She black.” 

“I beg your pardon?” 

“She’s a black cat. You know, bad luck. Dark magic. Evil. Witches. Some people don’t like that.” 

Danny gasps like he never heard such a thing and looks at Nicholas with pleading eyes. The blonde resists the urge to roll his own and says “We’d like to see her.” 

The two take her home. She sleeps on the windowsill in their bedroom, loves catnip, and absolutely falls in love with Danny. 

The pure glee coming from Danny is better than any dog, anyway. 

\- Debt 

“You don’t owe me anything, yer know?” 

Nick is nearly asleep when Danny speaks. They’ve just dragged themselves up to bed after a few at the pub and one of Danny’s action movies. The Inspector opens his eyes slowly, confusion written over his features. “Danny I owe you my life.” 

“No,” Danny shakes his head. He’s on his back and looking up at the ceiling but Nicholas can see the pained expression on his face, thanks to the moonlight. “I did what I did because I love you. It were my decision, Nick. You didn’t force anything. So, yer know, you don’t owe me nothing. You don’t owe me this.” At the word this, Danny motions between them. 

It takes Nick longer than it should to understand. When he does, he sits up so he can look at Danny better. “You saved my life, Danny. You say you did it out of love and I believe you. It doesn’t change the fact of what you did. But I’m not with you, I’m not here right now because of that. I’m here because I love you, too.” 

“Ya do?” 

“I really do.” 

Danny nods his head and Nicholas pulls him close to him when he lays back down. “I knew I loved you when I bought your Peace Lily. I just, well, there was a lot going on and I didn’t get a chance to tell you. I’m sorry.” 

“Tis’ okay,” Danny kisses him gently on the lips. “I knew I loved you when we woke up on my couch together that first time. Was too scared to say anything.” 

Nick kisses Danny again, pulling him impossibly closer. He owes Danny his life, in more ways than one. 

\- Ex

It’s just past 6am on a Saturday and Danny is only awake because he has to piss. He’s drying his hands when Nick’s phone rings and he answers it without much thought. “Ello?”

“Hello,” a female voice comes through the receiver, sounding confused. “Nicholas?” 

“No, this is Danny.” Admittedly, his brain has not caught up to the situation. He yawns in the phone. “Is this an emergency?” 

“Uh, no. I was looking for Nicholas but I suppose he changed his number. I apologize.” 

“Tis okay,” Danny tells the woman, “this is Nick’s phone. He’s asleep.” 

“He’s asleep,” she actually scoffs in disbelief. Nicholas never sleeps past six on a Saturday.” 

“‘hings change,” Danny says with another yawn and a shrug she can’t see. Nick still gets up early on the Saturday’s they have off but not until closer to eight now. On Sunday’s they stay in bed together until closer to ten. Sometimes Danny sleeps longer. 

“I see.” There’s a dark edge to her voice now and Danny can’t figure out why for the life of him. He looks down at Nicholas who hasn’t stopped snoring softly since the phone call started. All he wants to do is curl back into bed with him. “And you are?” 

“I’m Danny,” he says again without thought, and then with a fondness even he can hear in his voice, “I’m his partner.” 

“Oh.”

“If this ain’t an emergency, can I take a message?” 

“Actually, just forget I called.” 

Danny sets the phone back on the charger, curls up around Nick and does exactly what she told him. 

It takes close to a week before word gets back to them that everyone in London knows about them. Nicholas seems to be in a state of shock, but doesn’t seem angry. 

“Well how did the Met find out, anywho,” Doris asks when Nicholas hangs up the phone for the third time that day with an annoyed expression on his face. 

Danny suddenly remembers the call and ducks his head. He runs to the evidence room and pretends to keep himself busy. He curses under his breath when Nick comes into the room and refuses to look up at him until he walks right up to him. 

Biting his lip, he asks, “Does Janine have a voice that kinda sounds like she’s scolding a child?” 

“Indeed she does.” 

Danny hangs his head. “I’m sorry, Nick. She called last Saturday morn. It was like six and I was up to piss. I was half asleep and I, I told her I was your partner. Now everyone knows.” 

“None of that matters, Danny, so no worrying about it. They were going to find out eventually and all.” 

“I suppose.” 

“I would have told her myself if I’d only answered. You’re my world now.” 

Danny nods slowly. 

“In fact,” Nicholas pauses, cleaning his throat. “My superiors there asked me to come to London for an anniversary party. I was going to tell them no; big parties are not my thing. I was thinking, though, would you like to be my date to the event?” 

Danny tries to hide his excitement and mostly fails. “I’ve never been ya know? To a big party like that.” 

“Let’s change that.” 

\- Fruit 

Nicholas buys their apples and raspberries from Andy’s dad. Danny calls him a proper country boy and somehow catches the raspberry in his mouth thrown his way. 

\- Guilt 

Nicholas sometimes cries. 

The blond can’t help but carry around his guilt. It sits on his chest, heavy and uncomfortable. Sometimes it isn’t so bad. Sometimes he can push the bad thoughts from his mind. Logically, he knows it isn’t his fault, but sometimes when he closes his eyes, he can see the dead faces of the victims underground. Each one is haunting but it’s the faces of the people he arrested that sometimes keep him up at night. And sometimes come to him when he’s asleep. 

He doesn’t like crying. He doesn’t see it as a sign of weakness but it’s still embarrassing. It makes people focus on you and Nicholas has never been good at emotions. 

So it’s frustrating when he wakes up and he’s already crying. He can feel the tears running down his cheeks and before he can stop himself, he chokes out a breath. It wakes Danny next to him and he always closes his eyes, tries to smooth out his breathing and pretend to be asleep. 

Danny always knows. He snuggles closer, wraps his arm over Nick’s chest and murmurs reassurance in his ear until the tears stop and he manages to fall back asleep. 

\- Here

“Danny, you’re an idiot,” Nick says fondly, holding onto his partner’s shoulder. He’s afraid if he lets go, Danny will run away. “I don’t much like it here.” 

Danny actually cringes. 

“No, I mean.” Nick pauses, decides to start over. “Sandford is fine. It’s not London, obviously, but it’s a very nice village and I do not want to go back, but...When I told them I liked it here. Well, what I meant was that I liked you.” 

Danny absolutely beams. 

\- Ice Cream 

Nick has never been one for sweets. It’s not that he doesn’t like them; he was just capable of resisting any sweet tooth urge. It was important to stay fit as a police officer and that had always been Nick’s first concern. 

Until Danny. 

And now he allows himself the occasional biscuit with his tea, the chocolate ones Danny always buys. Once a week he gets a Cornetto while on patrol and talks action movies with his partner. 

Lately, Nick’s taken a special interest in the caramel sauce Danny keeps around his flat. The way his boyfriend moans when Nick licks it off his inner thigh is his favorite sound. 

\- Justify 

“I don’t deserve you,” Nick says to Danny while they’re lying in bed together. His voice is barely above a whisper but Danny can hear him plain as day in their quiet bedroom. 

“Wha?” 

“You’re so amazing and I’m a twat.” 

“You had two many tonight, did ya?” 

“Nooo, Danny. I did not. Well maybe I did to have to admit this. It’s been on my mind a lot, recently. I can’t justify having you in my life.” 

“I think you got it the wrong way, Nicky. It’s me who don’t deserve ya.” 

“I beg your pardon?” 

The brunette shoves his fingers through his hair and sighs. “You’re this amazing and sexy man. Anyone would be lucky to have ya and I’m just me, ya know? Nothing bout me is special.” 

“You are beautiful,” Nick starts, “and bright. Full of wonder.” He breaths, “you are light.” He finishes like that explains everything. 

To him it does. 

“Well...” Danny starts, blushing. “That’s how I feel ‘bout you.” 

\- Kiss

It starts with a kiss. 

Well, it doesn’t, actually. It starts long before the first kiss. It starts with Danny’s persistent talking and Nick breaking down. With beers at the pub and cuddling on the couch after action movies. But then the Incident happens and Danny’s laid up in the hospital for months. 

After, Nicholas is scared that Danny will reject him so he keeps his mouth shut and just reassures himself that having Danny as his best mate is good enough. 

But eventually, it hurts too much. 

“I can’t do this anymore,” he says, a little desperate. They’re sitting on the couch together, touching in the way they always do. “I’ll move back to London after if you want but…” and then he kisses him. 

He leans forward the small distance needed to do so. Their lips touch briefly and Nick is going to pull away immediately because Danny hasn’t given him any real indication that he wants this, not enough for Nick to be sure and he doesn’t want to force him. He wants to remain in Sandford with him even if it’s only as friends so no matter how much his mind screams at him that this is probably it, he refuses to give in to the urge to just shove Danny down and snog him senseless. 

But just as he pulls away, Danny reaches up with his hand and holds Nick in place by his jaw. He presses harder against him and with great strength, pulls Nick on top of him. 

\- Love

“I love you.” 

Danny drops his ice cream on the ground, startled. He turns to Nick and then looks around the flat to make sure no one else is there. No one is suppose to be but Danny still has a hard time believing Nick would ever say such a thing to him. 

“Did you hear me, Danny? I said I love you.” 

Shaking, Danny says, “I love you, too,” and than flings himself into Nick’s arms. 

\- Marriage 

The entire village of Sandford attends the wedding of Nicholas and Danny. When they’re lips touch for the first time as husband and husband, the entire village cheers. 

Nick has never felt more at home. 

\- Nightmares 

Danny has nightmares about the shooting and explosion. Sometimes he dreams about the pain because the pain is basically all he remembers. But mostly, he dreams that he wasn’t brave enough. That he froze and Tom had shot Nick. That he’d died there in his arms. When Danny wakes up from these nightmares, he knows he would do it all again in a heartbeat. 

\- Official 

Nick stamps the paperwork in front of him before signing his name in it’s designated spot. He steps back a moment, smiling, then turns to Danny who’s standing right behind him. 

“Are you sure you want to do this,” Danny takes the pen when it’s offered to him. “I won’t be upset if you back out.”

“The Met already knows we’re together, Danny. They’ve met you. This is just a formality.” 

“They can’t prove nothing,” Danny shrugs. “We coulda just been friends.” 

“Are you trying to tell me something?”

The bigger man takes a shuddering breath. “Not really, just, ya know if we do this, you’re stuck with me.” 

“Sergeant Butterman, you have no idea how happy that makes me.” 

“Good,” Danny says, reaching down and signing his name. 

“Now it’s official.” 

Danny hums as Nick places the paperwork in its envelope and then walks across the room to place it in the outgoing mail box. The blonde turns, a huge grin on his face. 

\- Proposal

Nick’s grin falters, his eyes growing wide. “What are you doing?” 

“What’s it look like I’m doing,” Danny asks back, as he opens the ring box in his hand. The one knee position is a little awkward on his one side but he’s already on that knee and he’s not getting up until Nick says yes. 

“We’re making it official with the service but I want you to wear this ring, Nick. I want to wear a ring from you. I want to wake up to you everyday and kiss you every night before bed. Will ya marry me, Nicholas?” 

The first time Danny ever saw Nick cry was when he was leaning over him telling him it would all be okay, when Danny couldn’t bear to look at him, when they both thought he were dying. The tears that spring to Nick’s eyes now are nothing like those tears. They make his soft eyes glow with happiness as they fall gently down his cheeks. 

“‘Cor I’ll marry you, Danny. Absolutely, yes.” 

A second later he has an arm full of Nick. A second after that, Danny is slipping the simple ring on Nick’s finger. 

Perfect. 

\- Quiet

Nick bites his own hand harshly, closing his eyes as his head falls back against Danny’s shoulder as Danny’s fingers open him up. 

“Love you like this…” Danny is speaking in his ear, husky and low. 

Nick can only moan around his hand in response. Danny removes his fingers and Nick shivers in anticipation.He pushes his arse against Danny’s front, wiggling his hips just slightly. 

“...practically begging for it…” Danny grabs the base of his own cock and guides it into Nick’s stretched hole.

“Fuck, Danny.” 

“Shh, love, we wouldn’t want anyone to hear us now, would we?” He grabs Nick by the hips and guides him down until he’s bent over the metal table in front of them. “This is hardly proper use of our new interrogation room, now is it?” 

Nick opens his mouth to respond but Danny starts moving with quick sharp trusts, the resulting moan muffled by Nick’s arm. 

\- Rumors 

“Rumor has it that Nicholas spent the night at Danny’s last night,” Doris says with a smirk, wiggling her eyebrows slightly as she does. 

“Cocksucker,” Walker says in response and Saxon barks twice. He also shrugs so Doris doesn’t comment on the crudeness of it all. 

“Oi, Angel sleeps over at Danny’s all the time. It don’t mean nothing.” 

“It does when Mrs. Stroker saw our Nicky shove Danny up against his flat door and shove his hand down his trousers.”

“Ooohhhh.” 

\- Sex

Sex is, at first, extremely awkward. 

Danny has been with men before. He’s never had intercourse with a man but a hand job here and a blow job there has made him more experienced than Nick in this aspect. 

Nick has never been with a guy before in anyway. He never really thought about it, to be honest. He’s always known he didn’t find the idea of being with a man terrible but he’d put himself on a path at a young age and that included a wife and maybe a kid. 

But sometimes life works in mysterious ways and Nick finds himself wanting Danny more than he’s ever wanted anyone before. 

It’s a lot of fumbling at first and even more cursing. Nick has never thought he’d ever “bottom” if he ever indulged himself and at first was uncomfortable with the idea, let alone when Danny actually stuck a finger in his ass. 

It takes time but eventually they get their rhythm. 

The Andes say that fuck like rabbits, and they ain’t wrong. 

\- Temptation 

The Met calls a couple more times to ask Nicolas if he’s really sure about his new position in Sandford.Things get a little heated at times and Danny is certain Nick ain’t tellin’ him everything so not to worry him. 

Danny ain’t worried. He’s terrified. 

This thing, it’s new between them. They have sex and work together and say they love each other and basically live together since Nick’s cottage still isn’t ready. It’s perfect. It’s so perfect that Danny is worried it’s going to come crashing down around him. 

“You need to turn off,” Nick mumbles against his ear, kissing it softly. 

“That’s my line.” 

“Seriously, Danny, what’s going on? You look...sad. I’m worried.” 

Danny shrugs his shoulders but turns to look Nick in the eye. He needs to know the truth. “Are you tempted?” 

“Tempted,” Nick questions, “by what?” 

“The Met and Janine and all,” he says it casually, like it isn’t making his heart pound in his chest rapidly. Like the very idea doesn’t hurt him more than any bullet or explosion ever could. “I don’t mean to be insecure and all, forgive me for being so. But I just...I can’t help but wonder.” 

Nick gives a small chuckle, wrapping his arms around Danny’s back and pulling them closer to one another. “Not even for a second, Danny. You’re my home.” 

\- Unexpected 

It takes Janine close to six hours to track down Nicholas. It’s a bit ridiculous considering the size of the village but she chalks it up to slow country folk and moves on. 

First she tries the station, because, where else would he be? 

“He ain’t here, love,” Cartwright tells her with a shrug. “He and Fannyboy had an errand to run.”

“Do you know where I might be able to find him at some point today?” 

“His cottage, I suppose,” Cartwright looks at his partner for confirmation. Wainwright only flips him off in response, grinning. 

“I think he and Danny were looking to install the new TV today,” Doris supplies from her seat, only looking up briefly from her paperwork. 

“No, I thought they were getting the new flowers to plant in the garden,” Fisher speaks up from his desk, leaning back in his seat with a confused expression on his face. 

“Theywasgoingtopaintthelivingroom.” 

The others, minus Janine, all nod. Walker was right, Danny had mentioned they needed to paint the living room before the sun went down. 

“Where is his cottage,” Janine asks, gaining back everyone’s attention. “This is a personal matter.” 

Doris draws her a map and sends her on her way. Janine can’t believe Nicholas has decided to stay in the sleepy town, especially since those are his coworkers. She shakes her head as she heads off in the direction of the cottage. 

As it turns out, Doris sucks at drawing maps. Or perhaps Janine sucks at reading them. She ends up asking three separate townsfolk how to get to the cottage. One sends her right back to where Doris had said to go. The second Janine cannot understand for the life of her and just nods politely until they are finished. The third person manages to get her there without much fuss, thank goodness. The cottage turns out to be one block from where she had been sent originally. 

She knocks on the door and calls out Nicholas’ name when no one answers. 

“Hello there, Deary,” a voice calls out to her from the left. She turns and sees an elderly woman there, waving and smiling at her. “If you’re looking for the boys they’re done for the day and gone. Just in time too. The sun will set any minute. Shame the construction crew had to turn off his electric while they got all this here done.” 

“Do you possibly know where I can find Nicholas?” 

“Oh, the Inspector is probably at the Pub by now,” the woman giggles with a shrug. 

It takes Janine twenty minutes to find the pub. She doesn’t immediately see him when she walks in, so she goes to the bartender to ask. 

“Sorry to have you been misinformed, love,” the bartender frowns, “but Danny and Nicholas won’t be in tonight. They should be back at home.” 

Janine feels like screaming. “To his cottage?” 

“No, they’re other home. Danny’s home. His flat. Here, I’ll draw you a map!” 

It’s almost eight by the time she gets to the flat. She’s tired and frustrated. But it’ll be worth it. She knows it’ll be worth it. 

She knocks on the door and can’t help the small squeak of happiness when her Nicholas opens the door. He looks quite cozy, clad in sleep pants and a comfortable looking T-shirt. “Finally.” 

“Janine,” he questions, and he doesn’t look happy to see her. “This is...unexpected. You should have called.” 

“I did,” she tells him, reaching out. He backs away. “I spoke to your partner.” 

“Yes, he told me.” 

“I have to admit, I was a little jealous at first but then I found out that Danny is your working partner and it really made much more since.” 

“You’re missing the good stuff!” 

Nick can’t help the laugh that escapes when he turns back inside. “Danny, pause it!” 

“I wasn’t talking about the movie,” is the much quieter response. 

Nick blushes. 

He actually blushes. 

“He isn’t your working partner, is he?” 

“Yes, he is,” Nick looks embarrassed. “But he’s also much more.” 

A moment. 

“You’ve turned off, haven’t you?” 

Nick feels terrible about it, but he can’t stop the smile that crosses his face. “Yeah.” 

Janine was going to ask him to return to London. To her. But obviously that won’t happen. This wasn’t how she expected this to go. She says her goodbyes and Nick is polite as always.

She makes a mad dash for her car and never looks back. 

He isn’t her Nicholas anymore. 

\- Village 

Sandford loses Village of the year. It’s not a surprise considering they’ve just discovered a cult murdering people for twenty years and literally had a gun battle and car case in the middle of judging. 

Danny goes to his mother’s grave as soon as he can manage. He sits and apologizes, not bothering to hide his tears. Nick stands not far behind, quietly watching. 

When he finally stands up, he whispers, “I’m sorry I told dad I was glad you were gone.” It wasn’t a lie when he’d said it. He was glad his mother wasn’t around to see what happened to his father but he wonders if maybe his mother hadn’t killed herself, things would have turned out different. Instead of saying any of this, he places his hand on the stone and tells her he loves her. 

It’s a different story the next year he goes to visit her. It’s to tell her they won Village of the year again, thanks to Nick’s new approach to crime. The Village has never been better. 

Somehow it’s harder to say. 

\- Weight 

Danny loses a little more than a stone while he’s in the hospital, and then another half of one in the first two months since he’s released from the hospital. His appetite isn’t exactly the same and Nick’s basically in charge of his diet which makes the weight loss easy. 

He’ll never be tiny like Nick. He says as much to the blonde, a little sad. Nick only looks up and down his body before shoving him down onto the bed, a hungry look in his eye.

-Xerostomia 

Danny whines, reaching for the glass of water on the side of his bed. He can’t sleep again. He’s getting so frustrated he’s ready to cry but he doesn’t want to do that. He only just got home from the hospital. Nick and the doctor told him it would be hard and he’s doing his best not to be a baby bout it all. 

He drinks the water quickly, sighing in relief as the water soothes the dryness in his throat. He sets the cup down, lays back down and closes his eyes. No sooner than he does, the feeling is back. 

It’s stupid, really. He’s been shot for fuck’s sake! He was in an explosion! He’s had three surgeries and an entire month in the hospital laid up and he’s gonna cry because his mouth is so dry he can’t sleep. 

“You chugged the whole glass, didn’t you?” 

He nods weakly at Nick, who’s just magically appears in the doorway. Danny refuses to look at him because then he probably will cry. Quietly, Nick comes into the room and places a bag on the nightstand next to the empty glass of water. 

“The medications you’re on are causing you to have dry mouth, Danny. I know it’s not pleasant and I know you can’t sleep cause of it.” As he speaks, he takes a bottle of water out of the bag and hands it over. “Small, slow sips, kay? Drinking it quickly will only make it feel better for a minute.” 

The brunette sits up, nodding his head but still refusing to speak or look at him. He feels like an idiot. He does as he says while he watches Nick, who sets about emptying the bag he brought in. He raises his eyebrow at the small machine but says nothing as Nick disappears with it into the bathroom. When he comes back, it’s filled with water. His partner plugs it in and sets it right next to Danny’s bed. It makes a low noise, nothing too distracting but unusual. A second later and mist starts to fill the air. 

“This should help a bit, and I also got you some gum. It’s sugar free, so it’ll help. And I’m going to put this mouthwash in the bathroom. It’s suppose to help, too.” 

Nick is rambling a bit but Danny’s mouth feel better and he’s exhausted and Nick is there with him and that matters. It matters so much that before he knows it, Nick is lowering him back into bed and covering him with the blanket. He reaches out before he can move away from the bed 

“Stay.” 

Nick moves away from the bed a second later and Danny about feels like crying again until he feels the bed dip on the other side. The blanket moves and then Danny can feel Nick pressed up against his back, his arm wrapped securely around his middle. 

“I’m not going anywhere.” 

\- Yearning 

have an intense feeling of longing for something, typically something that one has lost or been separated from.

Danny actually looks the word up on his computer. He’d heard it before in a romance movie he’d watched some time ago with a girl he dated briefly right after high school. He never thought he’d be yearning for someone, especially not his best mate and partner. 

But he is. 

It becomes more apparent as time goes on and it feels kinda silly. This ain’t no movie, no matter how many times Danny has wanted his life to be like one. He hasn’t lost Nick, or been separated from him. The Chief is sitting in his office doing paperwork. He must sense Danny’s eyes on him because he looks up and smiles. Still, there’s something about his look, his eyes, his smile, the way they touch as they watch movies. 

Danny smiles back, completely and madly in love with the man behind the glass there. He motions to his watch, then brings an imaginary glass up to his lips as if it ask “pub?” 

Nick looks at his own watch, then nods to Danny before shuffling papers away and getting up. He watches from his seat for just a moment longer and thinks, maybe, maybe tonight he’ll stop yearning and start asking. 

\- Zero 

“You made zero eye contact with me,” Nick says, breath shaking. He can’t meet Danny’s eyes now. The irony is not lost. “I thought you were dying, lying there and...you wouldn’t even look at me.” 

Danny swallows the lump in his throat. “I’m sorry. I loved you, then, ya know. And I, well I was worried that if I looked at you I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from blurting it out.” 

“That would have been okay.” 

“Maybe,” Danny half shrugs, “but I thought I was dying too. I was worried you wouldn’t feel the same. I thought you’d get scared and I would die alone.” 

“I would never have left you alone, Danny, even if I hadn’t felt the same.” 

“I know that Nick, I’m sorry.” 

It’s been over a year. There are still so many scars and raw emotions to deal with. They deal with them together, a little at a time. 

“I love you with all of my heart, Danny.” 

Danny kisses his Nick softly. “I love you with all my mine, too.”


End file.
